Former nursery worker Roksana Lecka has been convicted of abusing children as young as ten months who were left in her care.
The 22-year-old was captured on CCTV pinching children, dropping babies and vaping less than a metre away from another young baby.
Parents found red marks, bruises and scratches on their children, with pictures of some injuries shown in court.
Lecka was found guilty of 21 counts of child cruelty today following a six-week trial at Kingston Crown Court.
An investigation by the Metropolitan Police began in June 2024 when a staff member at one of the nurseries where Lecka worked flagged concerns about her behaviour.
Officers discovered she had abused children as young as ten months at two nurseries in Twickenham and Hounslow between October 2023 and the start of their investigation.
Met Detective Sergeant Geoff Boye said: ‘Footage showed Lecka carrying out multiple assaults on the children in her care which included repeatedly pinching and grabbing children, dropping babies into their cots and on one occasion, she delivered several kicks to a young boy to the face and stepped on his shoulder.’
The Montessori nursery worker told the jury: ‘I can’t remember the things I was doing because I was smoking cannabis that was affecting my memory.’
She added she would ‘smoke cannabis quite regularly with my boyfriend’ until very late at night.
Lecka said: ‘I was really addicted to vapes, I would smoke two little crystal disposables a day. I was vaping in nursery. Because if I did not smoke, I would get agitated and fed up.
‘I couldn’t keep asking to go to the toilet. Any opportunity I would take. I would be really moody and fed up.’
Latest London news
Of one alleged assault, in which she is said to have ‘smacked’ a young girl while vaping, she said: ‘I had two to three tokes, that would be my normal amount. I did not smack her. I put my arm around her really quickly.
‘I do not accept smacking her in the face. I think she’s distressed and tearful because she’s just woken up from a nap.’
The jury found Lecka not guilty on three of the 24 counts of child cruelty she was charged with. She will appear at Kingston Crown Court for sentencing on September 26.
Detective Inspector Sian Hutchings of the Met said: ‘These families left their children in Lecka’s care, trusting her to take protect their children as well as the other staff at the nurseries clearly did.
‘The footage of her offences against defenceless children was disturbing.
More Trending
‘I would like to praise the strength of the victim’s families who have had to sit in court and watch footage of the abuse which Lecka inflicted on their children.’
A spokesperson for children’s charity the NSPCC said: ‘Lecka’s cruel offending was eventually stopped when concerned nursery colleagues raised the alarm, and the police and local authority were contacted.
‘It is so important that a strong safeguarding culture is embedded in early years settings.
‘This involves promoting a culture of openness and trust, so staff have the confidence to share any concerns and are assured they will be received, taken seriously and dealt with appropriately.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: Drug warning issued ahead of Glastonbury after high-strength MDMA found at Parklife
MORE: Woman caught stealing £400 worth of Jellycat toys by stuffing them down her trousers